Brewing in Faerun

by Carl Cascone

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“Adventuring has brought me the company of Lords, Chieftains, High Priests, and Kings. But
never has my company been more welcome than when they come to me for fine brew.
Magic will impress, but brewing breeds friends.”
Anjor the Red
Brewer and Archmage of the Company of the Silver Dragon
Year of the Scarlet Witch (1491 DR)

Introduction: This supplement explores Vessel Blessing: Priests and Clerics of Chauntea
brewing practices and select beers of the imbue their fermentation vessels with radiant
energy. If a character is a divine spellcaster who is
Forgotten Realms. It is divided into four parts granted spells from Chauntea and proficient in
listed below. The first section explores Brewers tools they know the Ritual for the
methods exercised by the finest brewers of the Fermentation blessing.
realms. Often this knowledge is secretive, and
very rarely taught. Next is a spotlight of The ritual is a variation on the purify food and drink
ritual where a material component of soil, hops, and
unique ales favored in various corners of barleycorn all from a Chauntean temple garden are
Faerun to add life to new taverns and towns used. Any caster of divine magic taught this ritual
that are explored. can perform it.

The last two sections are for the character. A Upon completion of the ritual, the fermentation
vessel is imbued with radiant energy. The radiance
new piece of magical equipment is introduced neutralizes all poison and disease that is in any
with uses beyond the brewery, as well as liquid that enters it and prevents any activity that
highlighting a very special yeast. Finally, the would spoil water except for the fermentation of
brewer is separated out from the Artisan wort by the Yeast of Chauntea. The Brewer is
background and given a full rendition. granted advantage on any ability roll that utilizes the
imbued tools.

Until Swords Part! A creature that is vulnerable to radiant energy will

avoid the fermentation vessel after it has been
imbued even though no actual harm will occur to
Brewing Processes in the Realms: the creature. The imbuement is permanent until
dispelled.
Small Air Infusion: The Great Bards of the
Moonshaes have discovered a process to infuse Dragon Brew: This is a very rare process
very tiny air bubbles using summoned Air perfected and known only by the dwarves of the
Elementals. The elementals infuse the beer after Great Rift. Traditionally after a dragon hunt or
fermentation when it is racked into barrels. Upon dragon slaying, the blood of the slain dragon is
tapping this infusion gives any brew a creamier added to the dwarven wort before fermentation
quality compared to carbonation from the brewing commences. The dragon blood mixes with the wort
yeast. adding body to the wort, and greatly increasing its
alcohol content. When fermentation is complete the
In order to apply this process the Brewer must first beer has a dull color similar to the dragon from
have access to an Elemental Bell Jar which has an which the blood was attained, but the head of the
imprisoned Air Elemental. When Racking the beer beer retains the dragons full vibrant color. Besides
the Brewer must make a DC 10 check with Brewers enhancing the taste, the dragon blood used with
Tools. If the brewer succeeds, the beer is infused, this brewing process adds pleasurable properties to
if the brewer fails the beer is spoiled and is so the beer. For example, a dwarven stout brewed
infused with air it is unfit for consumption. Treating with red dragon blood will be more viscous than a
beer this way will allow the beer to be sold for 2 s.p. regular dwarven stout, but it will add a fiery spicy
a mug. This will allow a character using the taste to the beer, whereas the blood of a gold
Brewing profession during downtime to maintain a dragon will add a fiery sweeter taste closer to
Wealthy lifestyle without having to spend any gold. cinnamon. Dwarven ale brewed with white dragon
blood will never lose its chill, and black dragon

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blood will lend a strong sour taste to the beer. In has never fermented. It is common practice to add
any case the beer is always full bodied and retains sugar or syrup to the wort before the Yeast of
its head to the bottom of the tankard. This brewing Chauntea is added, because the faithful of
process creates the most sought after beer in the Chauntea prefer beers on the sweeter and stronger
Realms for those that know of it, but the Gold side of ales.
Dwarves rarely ever sell it or share it even with
other dwarven realms. Its rarity drives the price into The most common form of Chauntean Ale is a
100’s of gold pieces per barrel. A dwarven reddish coppertone with an effervescent head of
character with the secret to this process and the thick bubbles, a caramel sweet plum taste, and a
proper ingredients can maintain an aristocratic subtle hops note to balance the sweetness. The
lifestyle without paying any gold for as long as he alcohol is strong but barely noticeable in the taste.
has a supply of chromatic or metallic dragon blood.
Dwarven Stout: Dwarves are very fond of their
stouts but there is also Dwarven pale ale as
well. Dwarven stouts are always opaque, and very
full bodied allowing the foam to last well into the
Notable Beers of the Forgotten bottom of the tankard. Dwarven style ales are twice
as strong as typical ales, but the alcohol does not
Realms: manifest as a burning presence, instead the
increased alcohol lends the Dwarven Stout a
Moonshae Dry Stout: To balance beer out in the comfortable warmth. Dwarves are fond of their
very mineral heavy water of the Moonshaes, the hops and the full bodied Dwarven stouts are full
Ffolk tend to roast their malt for longer time bodied and sweet, but the increased and powerful
periods. This adds an acidity to the water which Dwarven hops balances out the malty ale with a
prevents the release of flavors that normally are pleasant bitterness that adds to the warmth of the
neutralized by more acidic waters. What results is Dwarven stout character.
possibly the darkest beer in the Realms, with a Dwarven stouts are brewed with a variety of
heavy body and strong roasted biscuit taste. characteristics, some are dark red, some are jet
black, some have a roasted nutty flavor, others
It is served variantly throughout the Isles, but at have a buttery flavor but they are always highly
Caer Corwell where it is served at its finest, the viscous, opaque, and pleasantly warm. Though
Great Bard that brews the stout uses summoned air most dwarven cities brew their own versions of
elementals to infuse the brew with very tiny bubbles stout and ale, the Shield Dwarves of Delzoun
that lend the beer a creamy quality. Nowhere else ancestry tend to prefer the Stouts.
in the Moonshaes can it be served this way, though
the bard has enchanted barrels to preserve the Dwarven Ale: Like its darker cousin the Dwarven
beer so that this style of Moonshae Dry Stout can stout, Dwarven Ales are twice as strong as most
be served throughout the Isles. other ales. The Dwarven ale has a similar warmth
present, but the malty flavors in the stout are more
Chauntean Ale: Chauntean ales are brewed in a subdued on the Dwarven ale, instead they give way
wide variety of styles. Sometimes they are very to an almost absurd high hops profile. Every city
light, sometimes they are very dark,some have and indeed every brewer chooses their own hops
higher alcohol than others. There are traits in mosaic, but the Dwarven ales are always full bodied
common. Chauntean ales are always light to and retain their foamy head well into the
medium in body, very carbonated, and subtle, plum tankard. The color of these ales vary from a dull
fruity flavors. gold to a dark honey, but they are only slightly
opaque compared to the much darker Dwarven
Five components are necessary for priests to brew Stout. Perhaps it is the warmer climate of the Great
Chauntean Ale: Water created by the Create Food Rift, but the Gold Dwarves tend to prefer Dwarven
and Water spell, Yeast of Chauntea, hops and malt ales to stouts, and even the Delzoun Dwarves
grown only in fields of an abbey faithful to would admit the Dwarves of the Great Rift brew the
Chauntea, and fermentation vessels that have been most sought after Dwarven pale ale.
enchanted to release radiant energy. There is a
wide variety within Chauntean Ale because the Zakharan Pale Ale: This is another general
water can be created with any alkalinity desired, category of ale, that is brewed by the great port
and any combination of malt and hops can be used cities like Waterdeep, Neverwinter, Baldur’s Gate,
provided the brewer abide by the stipulations. Any Athkatla, and Zazesspur. The Zakharan pale ale
deviation from the requirements end in wort that resulted in experimentation with ways to preserve

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barrels and tuns of ale on ships for very long which gives them the name Jade ales. Jade Ales
voyages to Zakhara or the Shining Sea in hot are most commonly porters because the full body
weather. The result was an ale that sacrificed malt and opacity of the porter exhibits the green
tastes for a variety of hops character. This very character of the brew nicely.
drinkable beer is low to medium alcohol presence
with a pleasantly bitter and melodious hops
finish. Each city, has its own type of Zakharan Pale Brewing tools and ingredients:
Ale, with Neverwinter being especially known for its
Black Zakharan Pale Ale. Elemental Bell Jar
Wondrous Item, Uncommon
Neverwinter Lambic: The Neverwinter Lambics
are often called ‘winter lambics’ because the fruit The elemental bell jar is blue blown glass, with
used to make them are allowed to freeze, then etchings of runes ascending vertically from the
added to the brew while it is in the secondary stage compass points and meeting at the top. When in
of fermentation. Common fruits used are cherries, the presence of a lesser air elemental or a mephit
blueberries, peaches, and raspberries. The grapes partially made of elemental air the owner may point
of Neverwinter are used only for wine, because the the bell jar at the elemental and speak the
vintners and brewers of Neverwinter find their command word. The elemental must make a DC
winter wine gets a finer price. 12 Wis save or be captured in the bell jar. Once the
elemental is inside the belljar the owner may use an
Neverwinter lambics are generally sour in taste with action to cast a Gust cantrip.
a fruity aroma depending on the fruits used. There
is a pleasant effervescence to the beer, and most
drinkers prefer it cold rather than cellar Yeast of Chauntea
temperature. The color is clear golden with a tint of
color reminiscent of the fruit used to create it. This The yeast of Chauntea is a very rare yeast that is
beer is sold seasonally around Neverwinter and will sensitive to radiant energy. It is believed that
reach to big cities of the North such as Waterdeep Chauntea gave this yeast as a gift to her faithful
and Silverymoon. It is very rare to find this lambic and they are very careful to keep its secret within
outside the North because it does not travel well the faith.
and is best served young.
This yeast will only activate in fermentation vessels
Wheloon Porter (Jade Ale): Many places in imbued with radiant energy, and the resulting ale is
Faerun prefer to use slate squares as fermentation sought after by people of all different faiths and
vessels and the brewers of Wheloon are the most realms. In addition to providing some of the best
well known for favoring this style. The slate of tasting ales in the Realms, ale brewed with this
Wheloon lends the beer a green color, which is a yeast makes the drinker feel grateful and
fine novelty for many ale drinkers in confident. A character who drinks a full bottle of ale
Cormyr. Wheloon ales come in many different brewed with this yeast, will receive an inspiration
styles, but they all have a signature green color point if they currently do not have one.

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Brewmeister brewing for the locals you are able to earn a
comfortable living between adventures. You know
if ingredients are of a sufficient purity to brew with,
You are a brewer known for creating the finest ale.
and can determine whether or not water is safe to
You have experimented long and hard to learn the
drink.
interaction between malt, hops, and yeast as well
as knowing and discerning the quality of
ingredients. You might be a simple villager famous
Suggested Characteristics:
for beer, a proprietor of a tavern, a master of an
established brewery, or a dedicated monk providing
Brewmeisters tend to be jovial people that can drink
for the monastery. Your efforts bring people from
long into the night. They are friendly, but very
all around just to imbibe the beer you brew.
pedantic when it comes to the process of brewing.
Despite this they tend to nurture the ability in
Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Persuasion
others, encouraging them to become great brewers
Tool Proficiencies: Brewers Supplies, one type of
as well. They like to spend time when tasting or
gaming set
smelling substances, often trying to dissect the
Equipment: Brewers Supplies, iron pot, 2
exact nature of a taste or scent.
tankards, a set of common clothes, a book of beer
recipes you have gathered, vial of signature yeast,
Use the tables for Guild Artisan background in the
and a belt pouch with 10 gp.
Player’s Handbook as the basis for your traits and
motivations , modifying the entries when
Feature: Beer saves civilization
appropriate to suit your identity as a brewmaster.
Your bond is associated with your mentor or
People like having you around because you always
perhaps a proprietor of a tavern who enjoys your
bring the drink. When socializing and interacting
ale. Your ideal might have to do with the quality of
with people, they are more apt to treat you in a
the beer you make.
friendly manner once they discover your talents.
People open up to you and you have aneasy time
gathering information about people in town. By

Further reading from other sources:

Aurora's whole Realms catalog: pgs 127-129

Ed Greenwood Presents: Elminster’s Forgotten Realms: pgs 94-95

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